The sun shone over Wilno Heritage Park for the twenty-first annual Kashub Day Festival on May 4. Peter Glofcheskie, President of the Wilno Heritage Society, greeted festival goers and thanked the almost 75 volunteers who worked hard to make the day a success, donating their time to be organizers, set-up crews, musicians, membership and merchandise sellers, food and barbecue people, bartenders, 50/50 draw sellers and exhibit display workers. Emcees Johnny Kashub (Dave Shulist) and Ray Chapeskie kept the live entertainment flowing throughout the day. The morning audience enjoyed a performance from young musicians Dexter and Serena Sernoskie. Both violinists, they often play traditional fiddle tunes with backing on rhythm guitar by their Great Uncle Richard Sernoskie. Serena is an accomplished stepdancer too as you can see from the video below. Our compilation video contains clips of the site, live music and festival goers of all ages dancing, as well as the Sernoskie children performing.
Glofcheskie also thanked the Township of Madawaska Valley for the loan of tables, garbage cans and barbecues. He announced that the Township of Killaloe-Hagarty-Richards (KHR) had made a grant of $4,000 to the Wilno Heritage Society to be used for a special project in 2019 at the Wilno Heritage Park. He then highlighted some notable features at this year’s Festival:
- Celebration of the 125th anniversary of the arrival of rail in 1894
- Visit by J. R. Booth, lumber baron and railway tycoon (historical re-enactor)
- Crowning of Kashubian Royal Family
- Just published “How To…Kashubian Embroidery and More…Embracing Tradition” book featuring traditional Kashubian embroidery designs
From left: J.R. Booth (re-enactor Brandon Kassis) with “Conductor” Connolly (Polish Kashub Heritage Museum curator Shirley Mask Connolly); 2019 Kashubian Royal Family: King Andrew Yantha, Queen Rose Marie (Lorbetskie) Brotton, Prince Noah Trebinskie, Princess Ashley Dombroskie (absent from photo); traditional Kashubian embroiderers: Catherine Bloskie, Zosia Kosinski, Joyce Lorbetskie, Noah Trebinskie, Theresa Prince. Photos by Sharon Gardiner
Glofcheskie said the day was sweet and sour: sweet because Sweet Temptations Bakery in Mississauga had brought fresh bread and one thousand of their legendary Pączki for sale; sour because for the first time Festival attendees could buy European Fine Foods giant pickles on a stick. Also new this year were some heritage clothing items for men and women.
From left: Leanne Pecarskie and Emma Phanenhour with a pickle-on-a-stick; kitchen volunteers Henry Tiedje, KHR Mayor Janice Visneskie-Moore, Cathy Serran, Marilyn Glofcheskie
It wouldn’t be Kashub Day without everyone’s favourites:
- Great food, cooked fresh on-site
- Honorary Kashubs
- The Polish Kashub Heritage Museum original log buildings and artifacts lovingly displayed
- Heritage garden featuring commemorative stones for many families
- Tracing family roots from Wilno church records with the help of Rose Marie Brotton who set up her digital database of 30,000 families in the Log House Kitchen
- Live music all day with professional sound by Terry Mask
One of the restored heritage log buildings, volunteers Rose Marie Brotton and Terry Mask; At right this year’s Honorary Kashubs are Jan Matula and Anna Sagatowska, owners of the Wilno Craft Gallery, shown with Johnny Kashub (Dave Shulist) Photo: Sharon Gardiner
Brian Mizzen and Mayor Kim Love buy their 50/50 tickets from volunteer Michele Etmanskie (Photo: Sharon Gardiner)
Friends and family meet at the annual Kashub Day Festival to share news, enjoy the festivities and celebrate Valley heritage. Community members have fun working hard and spending generously to aid the Wilno Heritage Society in its heritage projects. It’s the time when many people buy or renew their Society memberships and sponsorships. For more information visit wilno.org
